Little Chefs to be gobbled up

LITTLE Chefs could vanish from the British roadside after 55 years after the restaurant chain was put up for sale.

Fast food giants McDonald’s and KFC have tabled bids — but are unlikely to keep the brand and its chubby cook logo if successful.

Costa Coffee is also in talks with owner Rcapital. The private equity group bought the chain in 2007 after it went into administration.

Little Chef then had a 2009 menu revamp by Heston Blumenthal. But while the chain — also famed for its “Olympic” breakfasts — is back in profit, diners are opting for fast-food rivals. Rcapital claimed “a deep affection for the brand”. It hoped “some Little Chefs will remain on ‘A’ roads even if sites are rebranded”.

Little Chef started life as an 11-seat restaurant in Reading, Berks, in 1958 and had a string of owners. It had 234 outlets with 4,000 staff at the time of its 2007 collapse.

The chain now has 1,100 staff at 83 sites, from Devon to Scotland, serving six million customers a year. A sale could be completed by the autumn.